Hard to pump out black tank

[psneeld]

Yep, realized all along that enforcement issues would drive, no matter what.

Good to hear your system is suitable; been thinking more and more about going that route... partly as a real improvement, and partly because I should eventually do something about my overboard pump anyway.

That pesky cost, though!

-Chris

Even though I live 1 NM from the ocean....I was getting a bunch of warnings about low amperage (due to marginal salinity).

Raritan said don't worry about it...all is OK.

Generally I am not too anal....but getting a warning for about 1/2 the flushes just rubbed me wrong they would design a system that would do that.

So I broke down and and added a salt tank feeder for when in brackish waters (in them for my trip to Florida every year so it made hand feeding salt a thing of the past).

I have salt water fed toilets so adding the tank was easy...I just tapped into the salt water feed. You are supposed to tap into the fresh water system...but after several conversations with other TFers and friends...decided to use salt water feed to ultimately use less salt and in some places probably none.

Very happy now...but for $2000 total into the system it better work mindlessly and have a decent lifespan.

The pressure to not have to go a pumpout is great...and it is plumbed into the holding tank so when I can discharge after being in a no discharge zone...it is really a poor man's hold and treat .

 

[what_barnacles]

"It is illegal to discharge at any time from Type III Marine Sanitation Devices."

Sewage | Clean Green Boating | Washington State Department of Ecology


"Y valve. Type III MSDs having a through hull Y valve must only be opened when the vessel is offshore, beyond the limit of U.S. territorial waters. At all other times, the valve must be positively secured in a way that presents a physical barrier to valve use and prevents all discharges."

Note the use of the words "all discharges." A discharge is defined by the CG as:

"... any emission (other than natural seepage), intentional or unintentional, and includes, but is not limited to spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, or dumping."

USCG Systems Engineering Division (CG-ENG-3)

Regardless of personal feelings and practices, the fact remains that a so-called "expert" claimed in post #42 that it is legal to rinse and dump a holding tank. That is what gave this thread traction ... and it illustrates what a former moderator mentioned not long ago ... that 2 + 2 doesn't always add up to 4 on this forum. Caveat emptor if you are going to act on advice posted on an enthusiast's forum.

And there in lies the problem of the claim that "It's perfectly legal to dump flushed tanks". You must keep the Y valve secure so that NO DISCHARGES can occur within 3 miles of land.

It has nothing to do with just how clean you think your waste tank is, it has to do with the fact that you can not dump it within 3 miles of land, period. You can however have it pumped out, the keys have free pumpout services for the anchor bouy renters.

Hopefully that portion of the reg is clear enough for everyone.

 

[VagabondLRT]

If it is a blocked vent it would be confirmed by opening a toilet to serve as vent.

 

[cardude01]

I cleared out the vent on the stern bulkhead yesterday and ran some water down the hose towards the tank. Hopefully that will do something.

I'm realizing now that I've been off the boat for awhile that I have a definite sewage odor when I walk in the door. Especially strong where all the hoses and tank live in the forward bilge. I had a leaking macerator pump that I replaced awhile back and it's all clean in there now, but still has an odor.

Could my hoses be bad already? They are 7 years old.

 

[Larry M]

...Could my hoses be bad already? They are 7 years old.

Do you have the white Shield's hose? If that is what you have then I would say yes. It's looks (smells) like it's time to replace.

 

[cardude01]

They are thick-looking black hoses. Didn't get the brand name or any numbers off them because was hoping they were OK. ?

Another poster said maybe I had a u shaped place in the hoses and sewage was resting there?

Is there a way to flush these hoses? Chemicals?

 

[Art]

The really easy way to surely remain "CLEAN" regarding boating black water is to have a holding tank that has NO overboard discharge capability. A tank that MUST be pumped out for human waste removal... such as we have in our Tolly. This method makes all the shuck and jive about how/what/where to put waste a non-plus. It’s also very easy as compared to cost/installation/maintenance/replacement of pumps, hoses, Y-valves, locks on the Y’s… etc. another item immediately attained is BIG smile on officer’s faces about no chance for in-water discharge.

SF Delta, where we boat, is a fragile eco system. We find it no problem to either pump out at dock while fueling or to pay a mobile pump boat while out and about.

Of course... if we regularly boated 3 + miles off shore we would have on-board pump out capabilities.

Laws are written to best as possible enable society to have acceptable manners of existence. At least that is the prime reason. However laws are not necessarily correct in their ability to thoughtfully/properly cover all aspects of the items they are written for. That said; I am confident that each person has somehow bent the "Letter of the Law" in one way or another regarding items they put into water.

Of all the people contributing to TF’s collective pool of knowledge it is Peggie Hall’s wisdom to which I give one of the highest credits.

 

[Marin]

Could my hoses be bad already? They are 7 years old.

Absolutely. Do the wet rag test and you'll know for sure. If you have no waste water leaks then the smell is almost certainly permeated hoses. We had this problem until we replaced our hose runs with PVC which is impermeable.

 

[cardude01]

Ok. Damn. Not what I wanted to hear but I don't like the smell so gotta do something.

Will look up wet rag test. Sounds exciting! ?

 

[FlyWright]

Just a reminder to ALL to please feel free to post your perspective and opinions, but please refrain from personal attacks and condescension. All offending posts and quotes have been deleted.